Sit Still, Look Pretty

February 14, 2017April 27, 2017

A Valentine’s Day Message

for all the ladies

Sometimes it seems music with a message of girl power, inner strength, and personal confidence — especially when it’s considered pop — isn’t taken seriously. It’s not sexy or indulgent. It promotes independence and free-thinking, even cold bitchiness and an uncaring attitude. Ain’t nobody got time fo dat, apparently.

But there are positive, self-affirming tunes out there that every girl and woman should celebrate with no apology.

Daya, a teenage singer/songwriter, gets it. She wants us to know we don’t need anyone else, namely a guy, to be worthy, and that we don’t have to fill certain society-driven roles, either. She is refreshing.

Sit Still, Look Pretty | Daya

Could dress up
To get love
But guess what?
I’m never gonna be that girl
Who’s living in a Barbie world

Could wake up
And make up
And play dumbPretending that I need a boyWho’s gonna treat me like a toy

I know the other girlies wanna wear expensive things
Like diamond rings
But I don’t wanna be the puppet that you’re playing on a stringThis queen don’t need a king

Oh, I don’t know what you’ve been told
But this gal right here’s gonna rule the world
Yeah, that is where I’m gonna be because I wanna be
No, I don’t wanna sit still, look pretty
You get off on your nine to five
Dream of picket fences and trophy wives
But no, I’m never gonna be ’cause I don’t wanna be
No, I don’t wanna sit still look pretty

Mister Right could be nice for one nightBut then he wanna take controlAnd I would rather fly solo

Then Snow White
She did it right
In her life
Had seven men to do the chores
‘Cause that’s not what a lady’s for

The only thing a boy’s gonna give a girl for free’s captivity
And I might love me some vanilla but I’m not that sugar sweet
Call me HBIC

Oh, I don’t know what you’ve been told
But this gal right here’s gonna rule the world
Yeah, that is where I’m gonna be, because I wanna be
No, I don’t wanna sit still, look pretty
You get off on your nine to five
Dream of picket fences and trophy wives
But no, I’m never gonna be, ’cause I don’t wanna be
No, I don’t wanna sit still look pretty

Sure, I’m a pretty girl
Up in a pretty world
But they say pretty hurts
And I don’t wanna sit still
I’m a pretty girl
Up in a pretty world
But no, I won’t sit still, look pretty

Sure, I’m a pretty girl
Up in a pretty world
But they say pretty hurts
And I don’t wanna sit still
I’m a pretty girl
Up in a pretty world
But no, I won’t sit still, look pretty

Oh, I don’t know what you’ve been told
But this gal right here’s gonna rule the world
Yeah, that is where I’m gonna be because I wanna be
No, I don’t wanna sit still, look pretty
You get off on your nine to five
Dream of picket fences and trophy wives
But no, I’m never gonna be ’cause I don’t wanna be
No, I don’t wanna sit still look pretty

Oh, I don’t know what you’ve been told
But this gal right here’s gonna rule the world
Yeah, that is where I’m gonna be because I wanna be
No, I don’t wanna sit still, look pretty
You get off on your nine to five
Dream of picket fences and trophy wives
But no, I’m never gonna be ’cause I don’t wanna be
No, I don’t wanna sit still, look pretty

We should seek independence. We should seek self-suffiency, faith in our abilities, and trust in our opinions. We should be able to find happiness in ourselves, and before we seek it from someone else. Too often, the opposite is what’s romanticized in our society.

Don’t get me wrong. There’s nothing wrong with having your King, being interdependent, and having a healthy, mutually-respectful relationship. But more important stuff comes first for authentic development, and our true worth comes from our sense of self.

We don’t have to sit still. We don’t have to submit. We don’t have to be pretty. We don’t have to meet superficial qualifications. We don’t have to fit man’s expectation of us. And we don’t need a man to be complete, either.

I can’t think of a better day to bring this point home than today, February 14th.

Comments

LOVE this, especially as I’m fresh from the decision my husband and I made to divorce. I’m feeling a certain amount of pressure to eventually date again (and it’s from myself, too!), but that is SO FAR in the future that I don’t even want to think about it. I think a lot of it is a fear of being alone. But with God’s grace and an awesome rockstar support system of friends, family, and co-workers, I’ll be okay. 🙂

You will definitely be okay! Sometimes there is loneliness, but there is also so much strength and awareness that comes from being single. Whatever the plan is for you, you will be able to watch it unfold—I have faith that it will be with patience and acceptance more than not.